Triple Lemon Layer Cake

CAKE
3 md Lemons Peel, removed
-as thinly as possible
-with a veg peeler
1 1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Unsalted butter
-or margarine (not
-spread), softened
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
3/4 ts Salt
1 tb Vanilla extract
5 lg Eggs
2 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1/2 c Plus 1 tablespoon
-fresh lemon juice

LEMON FROSTING
1 md Lemon Peel, removed
-as thinly as possible
-with a veg peeler
1/3 c Sugar
16 oz Regular cream cheese,
-softened (not fat-free)
2 tb Lemon juice
2 c Flaked coconut, toasted
-(see Tips,below)
Garnish: berries

This cake is meant to be moist and a bit dense, more like POUND CAKE
than most layer cakes. You may omit the Lemon Filling and use some of
the frosting between the layers instead. There’s more than enough.

Lemon Filling: Whisk sugar, eggs and egg yolks in a small heavy
saucepan until well blended. Stir in lemon peel and juice and butter.
Cook, stirring often, over low to medium-low heat about 10 minutes.
As the mixture thickens, stir constantly, 8 to 10 minutes longer
until it thickly coats the back of a metal spoon (don’t boil or
mixture may curdle). Pour through a strainer set over a bowl; cover
surface of filling and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Filling will
thicken more as it cools. Adjust oven racks to divide oven in thirds.
Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease three 8-inch layer-cake pans. Line
bottoms with waxed paper and grease paper. Dust pans with flour;
shake out any excess. Cake: In a food processor or blender, process
lemon peel and sugar several minutes until peel is finely ground.
Transfer to a large bowl, add butter, baking powder, salt and vanilla
and beat with electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at
a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed,
add flour mixture alternately with lemon juice, mixing well after
each addition. Pour into prepared pans. Stagger pans on oven racks
and bake, switching position of pans once to ensure even layers,
about 40 minutes, until tops of cakes spring back when gently pressed
and a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans
on wire rack 20 minutes. Invert cakes on rack, remove waxed paper and
let cakes cool completely. Meanwhile make frosting: In a food
processor or blender, process lemon peel and sugar several minutes
until peel is finely ground. Beat cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar
mixture in a medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth (all this
may be done in the food processor). Cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm but spreadable. To assemble:
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half the Lemon Filling
(3/4 cup) on top. Top with another cake layer and remaining filling.
Top with remaining cake layer. Coat sides and top of cake with the
frosting. Gently press toasted coconut into frosting on sides of
cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, garnish
with berries.

To toast coconut: Spread flaked coconut on cookie sheet or glass pie
plate. Bake in a 350 F oven 6 to 8 minutes or microwave on high,
stirring once or twice, until lightly browned. Cool before using.

* Serves 10. Per serving: 916 cal, 12 g pro, 91 g car, 58 g fat, 328
mg chol, 462 mg sod.

Prep (filling): 8 min Cook: 20 min Chill: at least 4 hr Prep (cake and
frosting): 30 min Bake: 40 min Chill: at least 1 hr